TARA RULE v. JONATHAN BRAIMAN, et al.
No. 1:23-CV-1218 (BKS/PJE)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
May 13, 2026
HON. PAUL J. EVANGELISTA, UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
Case 1:23-cv-01218-BKS-PJE Document 158 Filed 05/13/26 Page 1 of 16
Eisenberg & Baum, LLP
24 Union Square East, Penthouse Ste.
New York, New York 10003
Attorneys for plaintiff
Barclay Damon LLP
80 State Street
Albany, New York 12207
Attorneys for defendant Braiman
Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC
268 Broadway, Ste. 104
Saratoga Springs, New York 12866
Attorneys for defendants Kirker, Albany Med Health Partners, Glens Falls Hospital, Saratoga Hospital
Maynard O’Connor Smith & Catalinotto
6 Tower Place
Albany, New York 12203
Attorneys for defendants West, Towers
Wilson, Elser Law Firm
200 Great Oaks Boulevard, Ste. 228
Albany, New York 12203
Attorneys for defendant Malta Med Emergent Care
OF COUNSEL:
REYNA N. LUBIN, ESQ.
MICHAEL J. MURPHY, ESQ.
MICHAEL D. BILLOK, ESQ.
KAREN A. BUTLER, ESQ.
BENJAMIN MEHIC, ESQ.
DECISION AND ORDER
I. INTRODUCTION
Plaintiff Tara Rule’s motion requires this Court to determine the proper scope of discovery into Plaintiff’s financial affairs, where those affairs are intertwined with a non-party business entity. Plaintiff seeks to quash a subpoena directed to that entity in its entirety. Defendants contend the requested records are necessary to assess, among other things, damages and credibility. The Court concludes that some discovery is warranted, but the subpoena is broader than necessary. The Court addresses standing first, then turns to relevance and proportionality, and finally determines the appropriate scope of the subpoena.
II. BACKGROUND
Plaintiff brings this civil action arising out of medical treatment she received from Defendants, including individual providers and affiliated healthcare institutions. The Complaint alleges misconduct in connection with that treatment and seeks compensatory damages under federal and related claims. Plaintiff claims that Defendants’ conduct caused her to suffer a range of injuries, including emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, reputational harm, and financial losses. Plaintiff further alleges, as a result of Defendants’ actions, she incurred out-of-pocket costs, including expenses related to travel, housing, and medical care. See generally Dkt. No 124. Defendants generally deny Plaintiff’s allegations and assert numerous affirmative and other defenses. See generally Dkt. Nos. 125-29. The Court presumes familiarity with the facts, given the extensive litigation to date.
A. The Subpoena at Issue
The subpoena at issue requests five primary categories of documents from the LLC for the period from August 14, 2020, to the present. The five categories include: (1) tax filings, including all state and federal tax returns, worksheets, and schedules; (2) all financial statements of the LLC; (3) documents showing income and payments made to the LLC; (4) documents showing expenses of the LLC; and (5) documents showing all payments the LLC made to Plaintiff. See Dkt. No. 151-2.
B. Procedural Background
Defendants served the subpoena at issue on the LLC, a non-party entity, on February 5, 2026. Dkt. Nos. 151-1 at 1; 151-2 at 2 (Subpoena). The Subpoena commanded production of the demanded records by February 27, 2026. See id. On
Generally, Defendants contend that Plaintiff lacks standing to challenge the subpoena; the subpoenaed documents are relevant to claims and defenses involving damages, causation, mitigation, and credibility; and the subpoena is proportional and necessary given Plaintiff’s financial relationship with the LLC. See Dkt. Nos. 152, 154-7 at 5-10.
III. LEGAL STANDARDS
A. Rule 45 – Motions to Quash or Modify
Under
As to relevance, “[t]he party seeking discovery bears the initial burden of proving the discovery is relevant . . . .” Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. v. Microchip Technology Inc., 347 F.R.D. 252, 260, 2024 WL 3907250 (S.D.N.Y. 2024) (citing In re Keurig Green Mountain Single-Serve Coffee Antitrust Litig., No. 14-MD-02542 (VSB) (SLC), 2020 WL 1940557, at *1 (S.D.N.Y. Apr. 22, 2020) (quoting Citizens Union of New York, 269 F. Supp. 3d at 139) “[T]hen the party withholding discovery on the grounds of burden [or] expense . . . bears the burden of proving the discovery is in fact . . . unduly burdensome and/or expensive.” Id. “There can be no dispute that, although not unlimited, relevance, for purposes of discovery, is an extremely broad concept.” A.I.A. Holdings S.A. v. Lehman Bros., No. 97 Civ. 4978, 2000 WL 763848, at *2 (S.D.N.Y. June 12, 2000) (citing Oppenheimer Fund, Inc. v. Sanders, 437 U.S. 340, 351 (1978)). “Whether a subpoena imposes an undue burden depends on ‘such factors as relevance, the need of the party for the documents, the breadth of the document request, the time period covered by it, the particularity with which the documents are described and the burden
“[T]he court must limit the frequency or extent of discovery” when:
(i) the discovery sought is unreasonably cumulative or duplicative, or can be obtained from some other source that is more convenient, less burdensome, or less expensive;
(ii) the party seeking discovery has had ample opportunity to obtain the information by discovery in the action; or
(iii) the burden or expense of the proposed discovery outweighs its likely benefit, considering the needs of the case, the amount in controversy, the parties’ resources, the importance of the issues at stake in the action, and the importance of the discovery in resolving the issues.
Cohen v. City of New York, 255 F.R.D. 110, 117 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 10, 2008) (citing
On timely motion, the Court must quash or modify a subpoena if it fails to allow a reasonable time to comply, requires a person to comply beyond the geographic limits specified in the rule, requires disclosure of privileged or protected matter (if no exception or waiver applies), or subjects the recipient of the subpoena to undue burden.
B. Standing to Oppose Third-Party Subpoenas
As a general rule, a party lacks standing to move to quash or modify a subpoena directed at a non-party. See Langford v. Chrysler Motors Corp., 513 F.2d 1121, 1126 (2d Cir.1975) (“In the absence of a claim of privilege a party usually does not have standing to object to a subpoena directed to a non-party witness.”); Nova Products, Inc. v. Kisma Video, Inc., 220 F.R.D. 238, 241 (S.D.N.Y. 2004) (“[A] party ordinarily lacks standing to quash a subpoena directed at a nonparty unless the party is seeking to protect a personal privilege or right.”) (citing Carrion v. City of New York, No. 01CIV.02255 (LAK/DF), 2022 WL 523398, at *1 n.1 (S.D.N.Y. Apr. 8, 2002). If a party claims a personal right or privilege concerning the documents at issue, the party may have standing to challenge the subpoena. See Gilead Sciences, Inc. v. Khaim, No. 24-CV-4259, 755 F.Supp. 3d 285, 293 (E.D.N.Y. 2024); Ireh v. Nassau Univ. Med. Ctr., No. CV06-09 LDW/AKT, 2008 WL 4283344, at *3 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 17, 2008), aff’d, 371 F. App’x 180 (2d Cir. 2010); Universitas Educ., LLC v. Nova Grp., Inc., 11 Civ. 1590(LTS)(HBP), 2013 WL 57892 at *5 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 4, 2013) (Pitman, M.J.) (“[A] non-subpoenaed party has standing only if it has a privilege, privacy or proprietary interest in the documents sought.”) (citation omitted). For a party to have standing to challenge a subpoena served on a non-party, there must be more than “a conclusory assertion that the subpoenas seek documents that are private, confidential, and commercially sensitive.” Refco Grp. Ltd., LLC v. Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., No. 13 CIV. 1654 RA HBP,
Instances that fall under the “personal right or privilege” exception and confer standing on a party include the assertion of work product or attorney-client privilege, interference with business relationships, or production of private information about the party that may be in the possession of a third party. See, e.g., Sky Med. Supply Inc. v. SCS Support Claim Servs., Inc., No. CV 12-6383 (JFB) (AKT), 2017 WL 1133349, at *5 (E.D.N.Y. Mar. 24, 2017) (quoting A & R Body Specialty & Collision Works, Inc. v. Progressive Cas. Ins. Co., No. 3:07CV929, 2013 WL 6511934, at *2 (D. Conn. Dec. 12, 2013) (“Examples of such personal rights or privileges include the personal privacy right and privilege with respect to the information contained in [ ] psychiatric and mental health records, claims of attorney-client privilege, and other privacy interests, including those relating to salary information and personnel records.”)); Merida Cap. Partners III LP v. Fernane, No. 25-CV-01235 (JAV), 2025 WL 1541072, at *5 (S.D.N.Y. May 30, 2025) (holding the defendants have standing to bring a motion pursuant to
c. Tax Returns
Courts in this Circuit have recognized that “[a]lthough income tax returns are not inherently privileged, courts are typically reluctant to compel their disclosure because of both ‘the private nature of the sensitive information contained therein’ and ‘the public interest in encouraging the filing by taxpayers of complete and accurate returns.’” Carmody v. Vill. of Rockville Centre, No. CV-05-4907 (SJF)(ETB), 2007 WL 2042807, at *1 (E.D.N.Y. July 13, 2007) (internal citation omitted); Kemp v. CSX Trans., No. 1:19-CV-
“To compel the disclosure of income tax returns, a two-part test must be satisfied[.]” Carmody, 2007 WL 2042807, at *2. First, “the returns must be relevant to the subject matter of the action,” and second, “there must be a compelling need for the returns because the information is not ‘otherwise readily obtainable.’” Kemp, 2020 WL 8461515, at *2-3 (citing Carmody, 2007 WL 2042807, at *1); see also Trilegiant Corp. v. Sitel Corp., 272 F.R.D. 360, 368 (S.D.N.Y. 2010). “The requesting party bears the burden of establishing both relevancy and a compelling need for the tax returns.” Xiao Hong Zheng v. Perfect Team Corp., 739 F. App‘x 658, 660 (2d Cir. 2018) (summary order) (quoting Libaire v. Kaplan, 760 F.Supp.2d 288, 294 (E.D.N.Y. 2011)).
IV. DISCUSSION
A. Standing
The Court concludes that Plaintiff has standing to challenge the third-party subpoena to the extent it seeks her personal financial information. Plaintiff’s standing rests on her privacy interest in financial information that would be disclosed through the production of records reflecting income she received, payments made to or on her behalf, or expenses attributable to her. That standing does not necessarily extend to all of the third-party LLC‘s financial records. To the extent the subpoena seeks financial information concerning the LLC that is independent of Plaintiff, such as general income, expenses, or financial activity unrelated to her, Plaintiff lacks standing to object.
Defendants’ argument that Plaintiff, by answering questions about her personal finances at her deposition, waived her privacy interest is unavailing. Although Plaintiff
B. Relevance and Proportionality
Although Plaintiff has standing only as to her personal financial information, the Court retains authority under Rules 26 and 45 to ensure that the subpoena is properly limited in scope. See Hughes, 507 F.Supp.3d at 405 (holding, even in cases where a party lacks standing to challenge a subpoena served on a non-party, the Court may “exercise its inherent authority to limit irrelevant or non-proportional discovery”). The Court agrees with Defendants that, notwithstanding Plaintiff’s disclaimer of any claim for lost income, Plaintiff has placed certain financial matters at issue. Plaintiff seeks damages for economic and emotional harm, medical costs, and relocation expenses. Records reflecting income received by, or payments made on behalf of Plaintiff, including through the LLC, are therefore relevant to assessing the nature and extent of her claimed damages. First, records reflecting payments to, or on behalf of, Plaintiff bear directly on her claimed out-of-pocket expenses and whether Defendants’ alleged
The Court finds the records the subpoena seeks to be relevant; at the same time, the subpoena, as drafted, is overbroad. It seeks all financial records of the LLC, including tax filings, complete financial statements, and all income and expense records, without limitation to Plaintiff. These requests potentially include large amounts of information that are unrelated to Plaintiff or the claims and defenses in this case. This overbreadth is particularly significant given the LLC’s status as a non-party. Although Plaintiff’s testimony reflects an amount of financial entanglement with the LLC, the entity remains formally separate, and its independent financial activity, if any, is not at issue.
Accordingly, the Subpoena must be narrowed to require production only of documents sufficient to show financial activity relating to Plaintiff, including income received by or payments made to or on her behalf, and expenses attributable to her.
Therefore, the Court orders the subpoena modified to require the LLC to provide to the Defendant’s counsel: (1) documents sufficient to show financial activity related to Plaintiff, including any W-2 forms, 1099 forms, and wage statements; (2) documents sufficient to show financial activity related to Plaintiff, including any financial statements of the LLC reflecting such activity; (3) documents sufficient to show any loan disbursements made or loan repayments received to or from Plaintiff; and (4) documents sufficient to show any expenses of the LLC related to Plaintiff or her business, paid or reimbursed by the LLC, to, or on behalf of or related to Plaintiff.
To the extent the Court‘s modification of the subpoena requires the production of sensitive financial records, the Court finds that these records are relevant to the subject matter of the action, proportional to the needs of the case, and may contain information not otherwise readily obtainable. See Kemp, 2020 WL 8461515, at *2-3 (citing Carmody, 2007 WL 2042807, at *1). Any confidentiality concerns arising from the modified subpoena can be addressed by the Confidentiality Order entered in this action. See Dkt. No. 134 (Confidentiality Stipulation and Protective Order); Brassco, Inc. v. Klipo, No. 99-cv-3014 (RMB) (DF), 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11164, 2004 WL 1385816, at *3 (S.D.N.Y. June 21, 2004) (concluding that bank records showing financial gain from
VI. CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, it is hereby ORDERED that Plaintiff’s motion to quash, dkt. no. 151, is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART. The Subpoena requesting production of documents and records from third-party Rule Arts and Productions, LLC is modified as follows:
The LLC shall provide to Defendants’ attorneys, from the time period of August 14, 2020, to the present:
- documents sufficient to show financial activity related to the plaintiff, including any W-2 forms, 1099 forms, and wage statements;
- documents sufficient to show financial activity related to the plaintiff, including any financial statements of the LLC that relate to any such financial activity;
- documents sufficient to show any loan disbursements made or loan repayments received to or from the Plaintiff;
- documents sufficient to show any expenses of the LLC related to the Plaintiff, her business, paid or reimbursed by the LLC, to, or on behalf of, or related to the Plaintiff; and it is further
ORDERED, that said records and documents shall be turned over to Defendants’ attorneys no later than thirty (30) days from the filing date of this Order.
Dated: May 13, 2026
Albany, New York
Paul J. Evangelista
U.S. Magistrate Judge
